Former Missouri Police Officer Admits Sexually Abusing 18 Detainees

ST. LOUIS - A former North County Police Cooperative officer on Monday admitted sexually assaulting 18 men after detaining or arresting them.

Marcellis Blackwell, 36, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to 18 counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, namely the right to bodily integrity. All of the counts involved abusive sexual contact and fifteen involved the kidnapping of the victims.

As part of his plea agreement, Blackwell admitted that between Nov. 8, 2022, and June 5, 2023, while working as an officer with the North County Police Cooperative, Blackwell sexually assaulted 18 men. The assaults typically followed traffic stops or arrests. In one case, Blackwell detained two men after a traffic accident, groping one in the back seat of his police vehicle before taking his other victim to a remote location. Sixteen of his victims were handcuffed at the time. Fifteen were taken to a remote location, including a high school and the back parking lot of Blackwell's department, after he deactivated his body-worn camera. On 13 occasions Blackwell falsified reports by claiming that his body-worn camera had been active during his entire interaction with the arrestees.

The investigation began on June 4, 2023, when one of Blackwell's victims from the previous day contacted the North County Police Cooperative. As more victims came forward, the FBI took over the investigation.

Blackwell is scheduled to be sentenced on November 24. The U.S. Attorney's office will request a sentence of 30 years in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Krug and Jennifer Szczucinski are prosecuting the case.